by our College Data Analytics TeamThis overview lays out the cost of attending Ball State University, from the published cost of attendance and projected degree cost through to net price, median student debt at graduation, default outcomes, and how aid varies by family income.
Use the section links below to navigate this overview:
Attendance costs at Ball State University varied between $25,134.00 and up to $43,682.00 based on in-state versus out-of-state status.
In-state students paid the lower published figure, while out-of-state students faced the higher one: around $25,134.00 in-state versus $43,682.00 for those paying out-of-state rates.
The three scenarios below move from the full sticker price, to the net price after average aid, to the net price low-income students typically pay.
| Tuition and fees | $11,082.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,052.00 |
| Total cost | $25,134.00 |
| That is 31% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $25,134.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$11,206.00 |
| Net price | $13,928.00 |
| That is 28% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $25,134.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$18,312.00 |
| Net price | $6,822.00 |
| That is 65% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $29,630.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $14,052.00 |
| Total cost | $43,682.00 |
| That is 127% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $43,682.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$11,206.00 |
| Net price | $32,476.00 |
| That is 69% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $43,682.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$18,312.00 |
| Net price | $25,370.00 |
| That is 32% above the national average net price. | |
| Go deeper on the components with the tuition & fees page and room and board. |
Cost of attendance here has been rising by around 2.5% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. Below, the cost is projected across a degree for three students at once — low-income with aid, average aid, and no aid. The repayment figures use a ten-year loan at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Freshman year | $6,992.00 | $14,275.00 | $25,760.00 |
| Senior year | $7,527.00 | $15,368.00 | $27,733.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $29,030.00 | $59,269.00 | $106,954.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $11,059.00 | $22,579.00 | $40,746.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $334.00 | $682.00 | $1,231.00 |
| Total amount paid | $40,089.00 | $81,848.00 | $147,700.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Freshman year | $6,992.00 | $14,275.00 | $25,760.00 |
| Senior year | $7,166.00 | $14,630.00 | $26,402.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $14,158.00 | $28,905.00 | $52,162.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $5,394.00 | $11,012.00 | $19,872.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $163.00 | $333.00 | $600.00 |
| Total amount paid | $19,552.00 | $39,917.00 | $72,033.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Freshman year | $26,002.00 | $33,285.00 | $44,770.00 |
| Senior year | $27,994.00 | $35,834.00 | $48,199.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $107,958.00 | $138,197.00 | $185,882.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $41,128.00 | $52,648.00 | $70,814.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $1,242.00 | $1,590.00 | $2,139.00 |
| Total amount paid | $149,087.00 | $190,845.00 | $256,697.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Freshman year | $26,002.00 | $33,285.00 | $44,770.00 |
| Senior year | $26,650.00 | $34,114.00 | $45,885.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $52,651.00 | $67,399.00 | $90,655.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $20,058.00 | $25,677.00 | $34,536.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $606.00 | $776.00 | $1,043.00 |
| Total amount paid | $72,710.00 | $93,075.00 | $125,191.00 |
Read more in the net price section below.
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. For most students, this is the more useful number than published tuition because it reflects the real out-of-pocket cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $14,940.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $15,898.00 |
Net price is far from uniform: lower-income families typically pay much less after aid. The breakdown below splits average net price across income brackets:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $7,233.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $9,717.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,882.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $19,748.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $21,756.00 |
Use Ball State University Net Price Calculator, or contact the financial aid office.
Want to know how that aid is awarded? See the financial aid breakdown.
The median graduating debt at Ball State University amounts to $16,904.00, categorized as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden bucket.
Here’s how debt at graduation distributes across borrowers:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $4,000.00 |
| 25th | $7,000.00 |
| Median (50th) | $16,904.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $32,000.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
Read the complete debt breakdown on the student-loan-debt breakdown.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. The breakdown below segments borrowers by family income at entry:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $14,487.00 |
| Middle income | $16,500.00 |
| High income | $18,500.00 |
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $16,705.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $17,500.00 |
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The gap between Pell-eligible and non-Pell median debt at Ball State University is $-555.00.
The federal default-rate tier for Ball State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 6.7% |
To put the rates in context, Stafford loans at Ball State University reach $1,494,824,387.00 spread across 70,775 loan recipients.
Veteran and active-military students often access dedicated federal aid programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD tuition assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 201 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $7,427.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 75 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $3,435.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veterans benefits detail.
The data above is a foundation; round it out by asking yourself about Ball State University, the questions below are worth your time:
Each page below covers one part of paying for college in more detail:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.